FIFA Qatar Report

Earlier today, the FIFA report on Qatar -- more accurately, a summary of the FIFA report on Qatar -- was released. The bottom line was a complete vindication of the integrity of the FIFA World Cup bidding processes for 2022. FIFA is congratulating itself, many others are calling it a whitewash.

The Guardian has a good summary of various reactions.

While the verdict was not a surprise, lead investigator Michael Garcia's reaction was unexpected. He has claimed that the summary report: “contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts. I intend to appeal this decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee.”

However, some knowledgeable folks on Twitter have noted some cautions in the likelihood of success of any such appeal:

Ahmad Darw, member of the Fifa appeal committee Garcia hopes will overturn J. Eckert's 'erroneous' decision, took Bin Hammam's cash in 2010
— Heidi Blake (@heidiblakeST) November 13, 2014

FIFA's appeals committee represents a who's-not of soccer: Bermuda, Madagascar, Guam, Papua New Guinea, Comoros, Fiji, Turks and Caicos ...
— Andrew Das (@AndrewDasNYT) November 13, 2014

Bermudan head of FIFA Appeal panel provided sworn statement that sparked scandal over Bin Hammam's payments to Caribbean officials in 2011
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) November 13, 2014

So this episode still has a way to run.

However, as I've often observed, don't count on FIFA changing its ways anytime soon, or anyone making them change. One remaining wild card in the ongoing FBI investigation, about which we know little. So stay tuned.